A week before the deadline, the telephone rang with David Woodward at the other end. Would you like to do some articles for us, said he. Taken-aback and thinking on ones feet as all good politicians do, (except this one) why not, said I. Without delay, I rushed to my computer and thought of all the things I would like to say about Berkhamsted. I could say what I thought about the street signs, or the colour of the bricks on the new Waitrose building, or the next bout of road-works. These will have to wait until after the coming by-election I’m afraid, so , working on the principle that people love to talk about themselves and even more love to be nosy and read about other peoples lives, how about a little about me?

Most people have something happen or an event  which changes their lives completely. It may be marriage, it may be the birth of their first child, a lost love or the death of a close loved one. In my case, it was being hit by a bus. It has turned into the excuse I use whenever needed. I’ve had a bang on the head, I’ll say. People look at me and are never sure whether or not to believe me, but it’s true.

There I was, in my little van, minding my own business when -BANG- I was lying on a bed with faces all around asking silly questions like, what is your name?, what is the date?, do you know where you are? and I hurt! It have been told that my vehicle was stationery and a big bus pushed me and my van 50 yards backwards. When I didn’t arrive home at the expected time, my wife called my van using our radio system and when I didn’t answer, did the thing every wife would do - call the police to ask if I had been involved in an accident. On being told that I hadn’t, proceeded to keep called my van until it suddenly stopped answering (the van, not me!). The telephone rang shortly afterwards with the police asking if she was the lady who had been asking about her husband being involved in an accident? She was then given the news that it was me.

Meanwhile, back in my squashed van, the fire engine was chained to the rear, the bus chained to the front and they both reversed to let me out. I was lucky that the duty consultant orthopaedic surgeon actually came to the crash site and the correct treatment was provided instantly remembering this was before the paramedic scheme we have today. My right leg had to have a enormous pin and plate fitted (I still have it) and large amounts of glass removed from my arms and head (I still have some of that too!). The less obvious injury was to my head. Did you know that the brain is surrounded by a liquid and can get damaged if violently shaken as it bangs into the skull? In my case, one of my ear drums suffered as well and now have reduced hearing and tinitus in one ear. It also means that great chunks of my memory are missing, but little things are quiet clear and events can trigger partial recall.

Less than a week later, to the surprise of everyone including my consultant, I hobbled out of West Herts Hospital to begin my recovery at home. It makes me realise how lucky I was and for about the next five years, my wife always wanted to be told if I was delayed anywhere - just in case.

Like I always say, ‘it’s not my fault, I’ve had a bang on the head!’